Monday, August 17, 2009

MACC must be independent and professional it its war against corruption

The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) director of investigation, Datuk Shukri Abdul , has announced yesterday that MACC will stop investigating politicians indefinitely. He said his men felt that they could not carry out their duties effectively in cases involving politicians as they were being slammed no matter what they did . He said scorn was another reason for the decision.

Obviously Shukri is very frustrated and the frustration has got the better of him .

Let me first make three things clear about DAP's and Pakatan Rakyat's positions on anti corruption war. Firstly, DAP and the Pakatan Rakyat Coalition have always called for and supported all out war against corruption in the country.Secondly, we are prepared to cooperate in the MACC's war against corruption.Thirdly, we don't believe anyone or any political party is immune from any corruption probe by MACC.

Instead of announcing a suspension of MACC's probe involving politicians, it is only right, proper and necessary that Shukri ask himself two questions. Firstly, why the MACC has been slammed by the Opposition parties ? Secondly, why is there public scorn against the MACC, more so after the mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock ?

The answer to the two questions are simple and straight forward-- that the MACC has failed to act as an independent and professional agency, giving rise to public perception , conclusion and belief that it has been unfairly targeting or persecuting Pakatan Rakyat politicians.

I must in fact tell Shukri that we and the general Malaysian public are equally frustrated with the MACC when it cannot act independently and professionally.

Shukri should therefore prove to the public and the Opposition that MACC can act as an independent and professional body fighting all out against corruption, instead of allowing his frustration to get the better of him.